A3B-Lanca«ter Farming, Saturday, December 4, 1999 Quality Variations Can Exist Dr. Marvin H. HaU Associate Professor Forage Management Penn State With the drought this past sum mer, Pennsylvania farmers are purchasing an unusual amount of hay from other states. Recently I have been receiving reports about hay that was sold over the phone or Internet as a cer tain quality, but farmers didn't test that quality when it was delivered. Assuming that the hay seller is trustworthy, then how can these differences occur? More than likely because the sample submitted to the forage lab by the seller and the buyer were not the same! Since sample collection is highly variability (higher stan dard eiror), it is the limiting factor in the ability any lab to produce identical quality results for sam ples collected from the same load of hay (Table 1). The highest level of accuracy we can expect from a single sample is plus or minus 1.58,2.45, and 4.25 percentage units for CP, ADF, and NDF, respectively. This degree of accuracy is due to the inability to obtain sample that truly represents the load of hay that the sample is collected from. Table 1 Variation (standard error) associated with sample collection Quality factor Crude protein Acid detergent fiber Neutral detergent fiber FIRE FIGHTING in LANCASTER COUNTY A Pictorial history of Fire Fighters and Apparatus in Lancaster County Pennsylvania by Len S Litowifz Distributed by Lancaster County Firemen’s Assoc Inc ONLY $25.00 Plus shipping and handling $3 30 and 6% PA Sales Tax $1 70 Send $3O 00 LCFA History Book 2132 Oreville Rd., Lancaster, PA 17601 1-800-456-6932 v . Master Card - Visa „ The large variations associated with sample collection can be the result of too few cores, by either the seller or buyer, being taken to produce a representative sample (Table 2). In general, 5 cores for every ton of hay cm the truck load should be collected with and mini mum of 10 cores per load. Note that just taking the second core sample nearly doubles the accura cy in measuring CP, ADF, and NDF. Table 2. Variation (standard error) in quality of 2 ton hay # Cores 10 15 20 Another possible reason for the variations associated with sample collection is that different coring devices maybe used by the seller and buyer. Differences in a coring device’s ability to representatively collect both leaves and stem can add to the variability in quality results. So how can forage quality results be different for the same Standard eiror 1 58 2 45 4 25 truckload of hay? More than likely because the samples collected from the load were not the same! Since variability of sample col lection is so much higher than var iability of forage quality labs (Table 3), sample collection is the limiting factor in the ability any lab to produce identical quality results for samples collected from the same load of hay. Improving the precision of lab analysis is mainly loads based on number of cores taken, Crude Protein ADF NDF 1 6 2.5 4.3 0 8 1.2 2 1 06 10 16 0.5 0,9 1 4 05 08 13 academic because errors in sample collection will mask any improve ment in analysis. Manure Equipment Available For Rent: Knight 8030 Spreader $l2/Load 6” Aluminum Irrigation Pipe w/Trailer $.05/Per FUDay w/23.1x26 oule 42’ Multi-Purpose Lagoon Pump $l5O/Da Top Volume Dealer Cat All Is Buckle Up! Chandler Litter Spreader.... sB/Load (2) Used 6,000 Gal. 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He is a producer of national and regional cattle champions, live stock judge for national and regional competitions, and was a manager of an international breed journal and worked in a number of support positions for producers and breed organizers. He has owned and operated Slayton’s Beardance, a purebred Angus and Polled Hereford beef cattle operation near Bedford for Standard error 0.53 0.73 0.85 the past decade. Slayton will continue his involvement with the 260-acre grassland farm on a part-time basis. “The opportunity to help pro mote our industry through the Beef Council is an exciting chal lenge,” Slayton said. “The Council is a unique organization - one that is producer directed but consumer focused. We have the ability to help producers meet consumer needs and help consumers learn more about our great product. 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